Foxfire Panel 2: The Director – Composer Collaboration
Matthew Galkin, director of the highly acclaimed new series, One Night in Idaho, and his long-time composer/collaborator James Lavino have built a body of work together that exemplifies how music and image can converge to deepen emotion, underscore complexity, and guide audience experience in nonfiction storytelling.
In this behind-the-scenes discussion, the two will discuss their creative process—how they craft a shared visual and sonic language, the conversations that shape a documentary’s tone, and how music can subtly (or dramatically) shift the emotional arc of a story. Drawing from their work on acclaimed titles including One Night in Idaho, Kevorkian, Murder in the Bayou, Topeka, and more, they’ll offer insight into the relationship between director and composer—and the power of sound to shape the truth.
Ideal for filmmakers, composers, editors, and anyone curious about the intersection of story, score, and emotion in documentary film
This workshop will be at Towngate Theatre.
Note: This workshop has limited seating available so please book your tickets in advance!
Filmmakers' Bios
Matthew Galkin, Director
Matthew Galkin is an Emmy®-nominated, two time IDA Award-winning director and producer. Recently, Galkin directed the 4-part Amazon Prime series ONE NIGHT IN IDAHO about the 2022 University of Idaho murders, in partnership with Skydance and author author James Patterson; a soon-to-be announced epic 3-part series for Netflix; a forthcoming documentary feature for HBO; and an all-access bio film about actor Elliot Page and his transition in Hollywood, based on his NY Times best-selling memoir PAGEBOY.
Over the course of his 25-year career, Galkin has made dozens of projects, including numerous films for HBO: KEVORKIAN, the only all-access biographical film ever made about famed assisted suicide doctor Jack Kevorkian; the award-winning HBO film I AM AN ANIMAL:THE STORY OF INGRID NEWKIRK AND PETA, about the founder of the infamous animal rights organization. He started his directing career with loudQUIETloud, a film about legendary rock band the Pixies that has since become a cult classic. Other selected work includes Showtime’s Emmy®-winning MURDER IN BIG HORN which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a 2024 Independent Spirit Award; and Showtime’s much celebrated first-ever true crime series MURDER IN THE BAYOU. Prior to starting the production company Fairhaven in 2018, Galkin was partners with Super Size Me filmmaker Morgan Spurlock at NY-based company Warrior Poets, where his work included the IDA Award-winning CNN series INSIDE MAN; SUPER SIZE ME 2: HOLY CHICKEN!, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival; and the film ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US for Sony Pictures, one of the highest grossing concert films of all time.
James Lavino, Composer
James Lavino is a Philadelphia-born composer whose work includes scores for Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning documentaries. Recent and upcoming projects include One Night in Idaho: The College Murders (Amazon), Murder on Middle Beach (HBO), and the forthcoming feature Welcome to Topeka. James’s choral and concert works have been performed across the U.S. and Europe, with broadcasts on NPR, the BBC, and Classic FM. Notable commissions include music for the opening ceremony of the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York City, as well as pieces for the choirs of Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral (London), and Merton College, Oxford. James currently hosts a film podcast, “Alternate Sides” with Emmy nominated filmmaker/editor Sam Neave.